Charcoal Duck, a work in progress

During my charcoal drawing class last year, I had begun doing a drawing involving little baby geese or duck, I do not remember which, but being new to doing charcoal and time allot to complete the assignment, I knew I had to make a conscience decision to pick another subject in order to get my homework turned in on time. It has always been my intention to go back and finish it but I actually forgot about it until I found this photo I took of it; oddly enough, you get a great non-bias perspective of your work to check how it is coming along, if you take a photo of it. So a quick tip, if you are working on painting or drawing and do not have someone to give you a second opinion (or honest one) how it is coming along; take a picture. It really works.

Here is how far I have gotten with it. It is all charcoal on color paper. However, I will point out, this image is only a segment of a much larger sheet of paper, as you can see by the white line on the right.

If you like to see more of charcoal work like the Siberian Husky I did turn for the class assignment, other watercolor work and photograph, swing over to EsBest.DeviantArt.com website too see even more of work.

Knitting One & Purling too

Below are some toys created after taking a really cool knitting course. It was a first for me. Honestly, I was reluctant and hesitant to spend money for class when there are so many free ways to learn from sources like YouTube videos which are very good because you get you. However, if you are looking to do a certain project or more specific details like a pattern because if many YouTube video knitting and crochet lesson may refer back to a specific pattern either they sell or assume you would already have and just need help doing. So when one particular online source had a sale, I decided "Why not?"

Note: This is not a promotion for the online source but if you would like more information about the online site, feel free to leave a comment asking and I will be glad to share it with you. I am also holding off on mentioning them so I can email them and see about them giving students discounts for referal; course and material can be costly, if student are telling people are about course, directly or indirectly by wearing or gift giving, they should be rewarded for marketing "their" products. Many other business do it so why not them where it would really count, right? "Right!"

Any who, here are the three cuties. In the photo below, you will see the toys created with some before and after also knitting sweaters for them. This was a big challenge and accomplishment for me. I had never knit a toy or knit with more than color either. Creating these guy accomplished both. In knitting the sweater, I also learned how to create a sweater in a way never done before as well and new easy ways to do things I had already know how to do. I also learned a new knitter's technique; the Kit

Meet "Bob" the bunny

 "Brr, please cloth us!" 

 "Ah, so nice and warm but oh so lonely, where's my bud?"

 "Ta-da!" All done and dress warm. They could not pose with bunny comrade because he was already given as a gift to an expectant mom-to-be. So he was not lonely either.

Watercolor experimenting

Well, sigh, I was not able to attend school this semester; politic and fights for rights do not just happen in government and with highly publicized issued. I had just gotten to the point where I was only taken art classes too where I knew I would excel and finally bring my GPA back up from the slump it was forced into when an instructor, too lazy to do their job, decided to give me a low grade because he did not want to go through the massive amount of research paper and other document "he" told us we would need to turn in with our completed project. Giving a low grade for something he claimed I did not turn in when he never opened the sealed envelope (to keep it from falling out of a bigger unsealed envelope.

After taking a watercolor course last semester, I continue to practice and experiment with different paints, techniques and tools to paint a subject. I also want to push myself to paint (and draw things) I have never done before so I can get to where I need to be; skill-wise to begin working a children's book I have begun working on a few years ago along with some other projects.

Here are some those trial and error experiments with watercolor.

 This particular barn painting with a stain glass window over the front door, was inspired by a scouting shoot I was doing for a class assignment. While I was out, a very nice lady approached me and inquired what I was doing, I had explained to her I was scouting building, structures and architectures for a painting class assignment. This painting was done from one of those photograph taken.

 The following two photos are the WIP (work-in-progress) and final presentation of self challenge to do a painting of my dog, Molly, I took a few years back of her looking out the window one wintry day. The bright light of snow outside and no lights ons inside that morning, created an appealing silhouette that enhanced and inspired me to take the photograph. The painting was done in my watercolor journal where I also have a profile of Molly already sketched out I also plan to do sometime in the near future.

Amazon Buyers Beware!

As promised; not really in a good way (to the horrible seller on Amazon when I said I will put the word of mouth out on every possible social media and then some), if you are looking to buy anything on the Amazon Market Place website....DO NOT...I repeat...DO NOT buy anything from a seller named, "whypaymoremedia" aka
Jordan Nima
whypaymoremedia
95A Mal drive
Lindenhurst NY 11757

Because the service and morality of business is severely lacking! They are not forthcoming, their customer service is horrendous and manners when they finally reply in an email is insulting to say the least and that's putting it mildly!
If you do buy from them and have to return it, they will NOT cover shipping (even if they should), they WILL charge a restocking fee and encourage you to use a tracking or delivery confirmation not because they are looking out for your best interest but probably because if you don't, they may deny even getting the item so you they don't have give you your credit after all the hell they put you through.

Learning Chinese painting technique

Last weeks class assignment for watercolor was Chinese painting technique. Earlier in the semester we did it with just ink block. This time it was done with watercolor. While what was done in class was turned in for grading, the instructor was nice enough to allow me to bring some of the the tools home to do some painting using the tools and techniques. The following images are what I was able to accomplish. I also included in this set of images, a few other watercolor that I had done. I should also point out that the horse and Cherry Blossom are much larger originals that my scanner so some of those images were cropped in order to be scanned

In The Beginning...and in between

Hello!

This may seem like an obsession of sorts but it really is not; just a love of art that I also like to share with others. Here is some the watercolor work I had begun prior to course beginning and learning the best method, technique and tools to do watercolors. Others among today's upload are work have done since starting my class, visiting the library and experimenting on my own.

"Enjoy"

This horse is an inspiration (and WIP: work-in-progress) I got from see watercolor work of a Deviant Art member, "sythesite". The title of her work, should you want to look her up on the website is is "Rainbow Horse Study II".

This lovely lady is a journal entry. Its "Watercolor Work in a Bottle"...just open and create! Ha ha

This butterfly is a re-creation of photograph I took this summer. It camera setting were set for bright exposure giving a translucent light and feel to photograph which work out well as an later inspiration for watercolor subject to experiment and try. There was trouble using liquid mask (a substance used to help maintain white areas once the watercolor dries) on the wings and the lower leaf.

This is also a journal entry. The journal is where I will try new things from subjects, technique or a quick study/project. The human eye was one of those quick study/watercolor sketch. The owl was an inspiration from a images I saw on television during the closing credit 

(I do not own the right to the original).

This nubian angel was a drawing done some years ago I thought would be a good subject for watercolor. She was done before I learn how to create clouds and a smooth blend. The blending of her hair's shadow and highlights was a successful experiment that work out well. I learned here that not all liquid mask are created equal (or suited for certain mediums).

This is a mix medium of watercolor and ink. Overall, it was not bad but as you can see, learning to do clouds, while may seem easy (skies too), can be quiet a challenge. I later found reference material and video on how to do clouds and different kinds of skies.

My most recent work; a reproduction of an original photograph I took some years ago while doing a shoot at private residence with a pond in the back where a pair of swans were nesting. The male swam across the pond for a bite to eat when he saw us outside. I am amazing to learn swans are much bigger than they look when on land! I have seen them before but not up close or standing on land.

Lots and lots of water...color; watercolor art!

A new chapter opens the way to a new endeavor: watercolor.

This semester at college I decided to try my hand at watercolor. I have always loved, admired and impressed by watercolor as a stand alone and with mix medium. Now, I have challenge myself
to do it and loving every minute of it. I can't seem to stop doing it.

My instruct has decided to try something different this semester as well. For the first time she is having student maintain a journal. We are required to do at two watercolor journal entry per week in addition to any class watercolor assignments. Below is a collection of both course assignments and watercolor journal entries that have come out well. The journal entries are a wonderful way to try different watercolor techniques, styles and to experiment with different mediums and tools in additional to using watercolor.

There will be others that will also be scanned and uploaded at a later time. I hope you will enjoy these chosen few below in the meantime.

This first entry into my journal (although not my journal project; I had ordered one in the mail and it had not arrived before school begun so I have some that are done on paper as journal entry so I would not behind in weekly assignments since two a week needed to be done) one is "Aqua-Lad". It is fan art from a Saturday morning cartoon known as Young Justice League that I watch with my children. It is a good show. I just felt like doing him.

This is a journal entry of my most recent assignment: Expressive work. The concept behind the work is a storyline I am developing loosing based on a real life legend and little bit of science. 

One more addition to my journal, "The Horse". It was a watercolor I did of a horse I had seen which is actually the midterm assignment; to do a watercolor from observation and not from a photo or imagination but an actual observation. This lovely stallion is one.

Another observation, this one was very easy, it was an observation done right in my own yard and from my window (for obvious reason; don't wanna scare the little bird away before I can get em' painted ha ha). Hence, the quick light work. Not my favorite but I am still proud of the accomplishment to do a live Sparrow on the fly.

This was also an observation (midterm piece; only one is required but like I said, I do love to create). This one was done while I was sitting in the bleachers while waiting for my son as he and his team were  training for Cross Country track. My son is not a member of the cross country team; he and his coach wanted him to train during this time of year to prepare for indoor track season that will begin in a 

few months. I did early because I was going to miss class due to a surgical procedure I would be having done that day in two weeks when it would be due.

This journal entry was done this week after having the same above surgical procedure done; it has to be  done twice (once on one side of repeated in two weeks on the other side of my body). Doing this kept my mind of the pain, boredom and limitations of movement once I got home. It fan art of an animation show I like called, "Moribito: Guardian of the Sea" The character seen here is named, "Balsa" she is a bodyguard to a young prince who is the guardian of the sea (egg) inside him. I highly recommend watching it. It is free on Hulu or Crackle website.

This was just a quick sketch done in watercolor of my son while he was playing a computer game (minus the PC I didn't want to attempt to include) just him and his frustration of some of the people he was playing with that were not exercising the best judgement during the game.

This is a a piece of work I am very, very proud. It is a recreation of a photograph I had taken of a fellow classmate who agree to be a model when I was doing studio photography some years ago.

This is a WIP (work-in-progress) watercolor of still life. I was experimenting with a technique that involved the use of plastic wrap to give the leaves a more realistic texture and look but did not only did come out successful but also bleed the colors. Hence, WIP, I will be trying to find a way to finish it and fix the bleed; possibly by creating a direction of a light source and changing the bleed into a cast shadow. Let see if it work. Stay tuned.

This is the still life I did for a class assignment. I have this free standing character (holding the paint brush) who is a character from a show my sons use to watch when they were very young. I put a paint brush in his hand, setup a small easel in front of him with a small picture that was a insert included in the packaging for the movie, "Aliens vs Cowboys"; its like a mini poster. As he is working, the cowboys (upper half not seen in the watercolor) is looking down at the alien that character (Number Four from Kids Next Door) is not paying attention to as he looks at his pretend work of art. I should also point out for legal reason, I do not own the license or copyright to both Alien vs Cowboys, Number Four or Kids Next Door. They were just the still life (require three items) I used 

for my class assignment.

this last post is an this week in-class assignment: Expressive work. It was inspired by another drawing I had did to accompany a poem I had written in a separate journal I keep.